other people
by tragicomedy
Summary: Misunderstandings, miscommunications and midnight musings over whether coming second is so bad. After all, first place doesn't feel like it's yours until you know that it is. Ichigo/Orihime, Renji/Rukia
1. other people

"_Are you going to check on Ichigo?" Renji asked, not even looking up from his tea. Rukia stopped in her tracks and turned around slowly._

_"So what if I am? I'm allowed to be worried about him!" she shot at him before storming off._

_"I never said you couldn't be…" he mumbled to himself before sighing. _

_God, he wouldn't ever even come close, would he?_

* * *

Renji peeked in on Ichigo's room. He was still fast asleep, wounds already healed and merely sleeping off exhaustion. Lying off to the side was the sleeping form of the small, black-haired shinigami.

"Eh?" came a voice from behind him. He turned to see a bleary-eyed Inoue Orihime. He noticed her eyes flashing from him to Ichigo's room. "I didn't know you felt that way about Kurosaki-kun, Renji-kun."

"What the hell?" he shouted before mentally shushing himself. He took a quick glance into the room where both occupants were still sleeping. He shut the sliding door and stalked off outside.

Orihime took a quick peek into the room after he left, just to check on Ichigo, but then noticed the sleeping form of Rukia.

_Ah._

* * *

"_I'm fine, you know." Ichigo said to Rukia as she entered his room. She glared at him and he felt the need to defend himself. "I'm fine, really. Just tired."_

_"Sure. Just tired." she scoffed, sitting down by his futon._

_"Yeah, I'm fine. No need to worry. You can go back out and hang out with everyone. If anything, you should go away and let me rest."_

_She studied him for a moment before glancing down at her lap. She played with her fingers before looking back at up Ichigo and said, very quickly, "Howdoyoufeel?"_

_"How do I feel?" he repeated, confused. "I just told you, I'm fine. Geez, Rukia, you should learn how to listen."_

_"No, I mean…" she stopped. She paused for so long, Ichigo thought she had lost the nerve to say whatever it was she wanted to say (Ichigo was surprised she was being so careful talking to __**him**__). After about a minute, she finally continued, "When you went to Hueco Mundo… why did you go?"_

_He stared at her incredulously. "Are you serious? Weren't you there?"_

_"Why did you go?" she repeated carefully. Obviously she was serious and wanted an honest answer._

_He raised an eyebrow. "I went to save Inoue. The same reason you went, may I remind you."_

_"Why?" she pressed._

_"'Why?' What the hell do you mean 'why?'" and he realised there was more to this conversation than he was currently understanding. "Look, whatever it is you want to ask, just ask it."_

_"Okay then." she cleared her throat. "How do you feel… about Inoue?"_

* * *

"I know how you feel, by the way." Orihime commented as she sat next to Renji. The night breeze was rather chilly, but she enjoyed the feel of it against her skin. Being back here in the real world, where day and night actually existed, with wind and sun and rain… she wouldn't trade this feeling for anything.

When Renji didn't speak, she continued. "After all, Kuchiki-san is so pretty and smart and strong. And so talented! I wish I could draw like her!"

And all this time Renji thought she liked Ichigo…

"You've got it bad, Inoue. I didn't know you felt that way about her, too. I mean, even _I_ think her drawing is terrible and—"

"What?" she asked, stunned.

"What?" he echoed.

"I don't… I don't like Kuchiki-san like _that_. I just meant… I just meant I understood why _you_ liked her." she clarified with lots of arm waving.

"Ohhh…" God, Renji felt like such an idiot.

She smiled at him. "I like Kurosaki-kun too much to like Kuchiki-san like that."

Renji wished she didn't make it sound like she _would_ like Rukia if she didn't like Ichigo.

"And," she continued, "I also meant I know how you feel… you know, being on the outside."

Renji stared at her in shock before nodding, swallowing the knot in his throat.

* * *

"_What the hell are you talking about?" Ichigo shouted. Realising that he may attract some unwanted attention, he lowered his voice when he asked, "How do I feel about Inoue?" Rukia nodded, signalling him to continue. "She's… Inoue. She's… a friend. What's that got to do with anything?"_

_"Well, actually, I think it has a lot to do with everything." she said. She took a look at Ichigo's thoroughly __stupid__ confused face before sighing. "You don't know anything, do you? About how she feels? About how __**you**__ feel?"_

_"How who feels?"_

_God, it was like talking to a brick wall._

_"Inoue." she emphasised. "Who else would I be talking about?"_

_The truth was she had been a little apprehensive about speaking to Ichigo about this. After all, it wasn't her business and she wasn't usually one to intrude in other people's affairs. But she knew Ichigo wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed and that Inoue, like most other people, had confused her relationship with Ichigo with something more than platonic. As it stood, neither of them would make a move._

_"I'm not going to push either of you, it's up to you. But you can't keep lying to yourself."_

_"Oh, 'cause __**I'm**__ the only one doing it? How about you and Renji?" he asked coldly._

* * *

"Can shinigami have relationships with living people?" Orihime asked, carefully not looking at him. She kept her eyes on the moon, on the stars, on the endless possibilities that maybe, _just maybe_, she had a shot.

"I, uhh, I don't know." Renji stammered, knowing it wasn't the answer she wanted to hear.

"I… I hope not." she whispered.

He hesitated before saying, "Me, too."

"We're awful people." She said bluntly, looking him in the eye. "We should… we should want them to be _happy_. We should…" she trailed off, turning her eyes down.

"We should." he agreed. 'But wanting your own happiness doesn't mean you're an awful person. It just means that you're—"

"Selfish?" she suggested with a sad smile.

* * *

_"Renji?" she repeated. "What's Renji got to do with anything?"_

_"Well, actually, he has a lot to do with everything." he mimicked her. "You don't know anything, do you? How—"_

_"Okay, I get the point!" she interrupted before looking away._

_And here she thought Ichigo was as dense as a brick. Huh._

_"Guess we've both got some thinking to do then." he said softly before lying back down on his futon._

_"Guess we do." she agreed, settling herself down onto the tatami mat._

* * *

"I want Kurosaki-kun to be happy, too. I do, even if it's with Kuchiki-san. But… I mean… I just think he could be happy with me, too." she said softly.

"Mm, I know how you feel."

"Like… maybe one day… if they feel like seeing other people or something…" she trailed off hopefully.

"See other people…" he repeated slowly.

And as Renji looked over at her, this girl who felt guilty about wanting her happiness above another's, this girl who was tearing up at the thought that she would be a mere substitute… and he realised he had totally misunderstood Inoue Orihime for their entire (acquaintance?) friendship.

And he began to feel that maybe she was the one person in their totally crazy, messed-up circle of friends who understood exactly how he felt.

"I hope we're not just 'other people'." she whispered after a moment's silence. "I hope we're not just second best."

"… Me, too."


	2. this clumsy person who loves you

**Warnings:** Spoilers for everything up to the end of the Fake Karakura Town arc

**Disclaimer:** _Bleach_ belongs to Kubo Tite, _The Comedy of Errors_ to William Shakespeare, and _Your Laughter _to Pablo Neruda

**Summary:** Ichigo and Rukia say goodbye for the last time and Renji and Orihime try to reconcile with the notion of being happy with being second best, because first place doesn't feel like it's yours until you know that it is

**

* * *

**

_my struggle is harsh and i come back_

_with eyes tired_

_at times from having seen_

_the unchanging earth_

Rukia slips into a funk the moment she realises Ichigo can no longer see her, hear her. She's out of the real world and back in Soul Society within the minute and her legs feel like jelly. She doesn't feel like she's anywhere, it's almost like losing an arm, such is the pain of losing Ichigo.

Renji notices she's back as soon as she's through the Senkai Gate and flashsteps his way to her. He's not surprised to see that she looks hollow, smaller than she already is. She's had a whole month to get used to the idea, but he knows her well enough that Ichigo could've been asleep for a century and it still would not have been enough time for her.

"Rukia?" he asks gently and she looks up, tears already filling up her eyes.

"I'm okay." Her voice shakes so she clears her throat but it doesn't help. "I'm okay." she says again but the tears have spilled over.

"You're allowed to cry, you know." he reassures her. "It's fine to be sad, he was a good friend to all of us."

"He's not dead, Renji." she snaps angrily and he takes a quick step back. "'Was'? Why are you speaking about him in the past tense? He's still there, he'll go on living and he'll be fine."

"Rukia…" he starts but she quickly interrupts him.

"I'm sorry, I'm just upset, I didn't mean to take it out on you." she holds up her hand in apology. "Can we do this later? I'm really drained."

She does not wait for his answer, she just turns and leaves and Renji can only watch her retreating figure sadly.

* * *

Ichigo is scared to turn around. Rukia had already been so faint when he last saw her, was disappearing at such an alarming rate, he knew without turning around that she was gone.

"I can't see her anymore." he whispers and the others remain silent. "Is she still here?"

There is a pause before Chad replies, "She just left. She said 'goodbye' again."

"Right." He clenches his fist and breathes deeply. "Right."

Orihime watches him and her heart feels like it's being ripped in half for him. He still has not turned to face them, he seems to be mesmerised by the sky. They all share a glance and Orihime is the first to be brave and speak.

"Would you like to go get something to eat, Kurosaki-kun? It's been a month, you've missed out on a lot."

There is a beat of silence before he slowly turns, face pulled into that familiar tense smile and Orihime returns it with a forced smile of her own.

He walks back in the house first; the others follow with Orihime directly behind him. She never thought watching his back would hurt so much.

* * *

"Oi, Renji, you know what I realised?" there is a pause before Ikkaku raises his voice. "Oi, Renji! You know what I realised?"

"Stop shouting, I can hear you." Renji grumbles.

"Coulda fooled me!" Ikkauku scoffs before pointing the sake bottle at Renji. "You gonna be a captain now, yeah?"

"Yeah, so?"

"It means you can finally go after Kuchiki! You've only been waiting, what, forty years?" Ikkaku takes a deep swig from the sake bottle while Renji sighs, nursing his own drink before downing it in one gulp.

"I can't." he finally replies and Ikkaku watches him.

"Why the hell not?"

"'Cause she's in love with Ichigo." It's probably the first time Renji has actually vocalised the statement and it hurts a lot more than he thought it would, like the act of saying it made it real.

"Ichigo?" Yumichika interjects. "But he's lost his spirit power, he's not even in the picture anymore."

"You think just 'cause she can't see him that she's just gonna fall straight out of love with him?" He rubs his temple. "Look, what I feel for Rukia… it's the real deal, and I'm not just gonna settle for being some rebound guy, y'know? I didn't wait forty years just to be some cheap consolation prize."

Ikkaku and Yumichika stay silent because, really, what could anyone say to that?

* * *

"'Hime!" Chizuru is hugging Orihime so tightly around her middle that she's finding it hard to breathe. "I missed you! I was so worried!"

"Let her go, you perve!" Tatsuki kicks Chizuru in the head. "She's been back for a month now, how long are you going to keep that up?"

"You!" Chizuru points a finger accusingly at Tatsuki. "You just want 'Hime for yourself!"

"Pfft, whatever. C'mon, Orihime." Tatsuki grabs her by the arm and drags her away, ignoring Chizuru's protests.

"So, how's Ichigo?" she asks as soon as they are alone. Orihime stays silent and Tatsuki interprets it. "That bad, huh?"

"It's hard, you know. Not being able to be with the one you love."

"What? Love? Who's in love?" Tatsuki is thoroughly confused.

"Kurosaki-kun is in love with Kuchiki-san, but now that he's lost his powers, he can't see her anymore. I think that's why he's taking it so hard."

"Wait." Tatsuki holds up her hand. "You think Ichigo is in love with Kuchiki-san? What gave you that idea?"

"The way they are when they're together, they get along so well, and it's so easy for her. I don't blame him for being in love with her," the words stick a little in her throat, her chest tightens, but she continues, "I mean, she's pretty and strong and smart and—"

"Okay, yes, Kuchiki-san is all of those things, and yes, she gets along well with Ichigo, but so do you and I. Why don't you think that about us?" Tatsuki tries to reason but Orihime shakes her head.

"I don't… I don't know, I just feel that Kuchiki-san is so much better at getting him out of his funks, and she urges him to be stronger and…" she sighs, "and with you, you know, you have all that history and you used to beat him up. I just think it's hard to see someone romantically when you have that kind of background."

"Okay, well, you're right about me and Ichigo," she concedes, not that she had thought of anything between her and Ichigo _ever_, "but with you and Ichigo, it's different, don't you see that?" she watches Orihime for a reaction but, when she doesn't get one, she continues. "Look, I think it's because you're already crazy about him, that's why you don't see it. The way Ichigo is with you… he's not like that with anyone else. He never talks to you rudely, or yells at you or hits you or anything. Do you know he calls only you by your last name? And I know you've probably convinced yourself that it means you're not as close to him as Kuchiki-san, or me, but I think it's the opposite. I think that he feels the need to distance himself by any means possible because… because he feels close to you and he thinks that he shouldn't."

Orihime listens closely to Tatsuki but still does not respond. Tatsuki sighs, "Look, Ichigo really needs all of us right now, so I'm not going to tell you to go for it with him or anything, the timing is all wrong, and you've been waiting for ages anyway. But," she pauses, "while I'm sure he misses Kuchiki-san, I don't think it's the way you're thinking. I think you're misunderstanding the situation."

Orihime nods but does not agree. After all, she'd spoken to Renji about it all those months ago, it seems like a lifetime ago now, and they had both seen the situation the same way.

What were the chances they were _both_ misunderstanding the situation?

* * *

Ikkaku and Yumichika find out that nothing except alcohol seem to work to get Renji out of his low spirits, and really, that's just because it dulled his senses. Still, they let him drink as much as he wants because feeling numb is surely better than feeling hurt.

His promotion to captain still isn't official so they have to drag him all the way to the Sixth Division to sleep off what will become a terrible hangover.

"Do you think I should tell Rukia?" he slurs.

They share a look over his shoulders before Yumichika replies, "I thought you said it was too soon."

"Maybe I was wrong." Renji sounds slightly optimistic but Yumichika shakes his head.

"I think you should wait, Renji. I think that you shouldn't rush into this, otherwise you might do something you regret."

"And what do you think, Ikkaku?" he looks at him with almost puppy dog eyes, begging him to agree with him but Ikkaku catches the shake of Yumichika's head.

"You should wait." he says firmly. "And you really know you should because _I'm_ the one telling you to and I'm the most impulsive person in the world."

Renji murmurs that he understands and they leave him in his room.

"He's going to tell her, isn't he?" Yumichika asks once they are back on their way to the Eleventh Division.

Ikkaku stretches and rests his hands on the back of his head with a sigh. "Definitely."

"I almost want to watch." Yumichika chuckles and Ikkaku laughs in agreement.

* * *

Orihime still watches him in class.

The normality of every day life is truly startling. Is it just because Ichigo has lost his powers that it feels like the world has changed again? Their lives seemed to automatically revolve around him, or maybe it was just that they all felt guilty for having power while he didn't.

"You were watching him again today." Tatsuki says bluntly on their way to lunch.

"I just wish I could make him feel better." she admits.

"Have you tried talking to him about it?" Tatsuki suggests. "Knowing all of you, you'd just avoid the subject 'cause you're afraid of upsetting him, but the truth is it's not going to go away, and the sooner you all make your peace with it, the sooner life goes back to normal."

"Life _is_ back to normal. We all turned up at school with our homework done and none of us mysteriously ran away during class."

"Orihime, that's normal for the rest of us. I mean normal for _you guys_. This is not normal for you all and do you know who gets hurt the most while you're all lying to yourselves that there's nothing wrong?" Orihime looks at her. "Ichigo. Because right now, he's thinking that the only person who's hurting, whose world has been turned on its head is _him_. And that's why he's not talking about it, he's keeping it inside. And let me tell you from experience: Ichigo keeping things in is _not_ a good thing."

Tatsuki pats her on the head. "Talk to him today, okay? The sooner, the better. For everyone."

Orihime nods but she is so afraid of what could happen. She'd had a month to think about what to say to him, and since he'd awoken, talking to him was almost like wading through mud: you just felt like you got nowhere and you felt dirty for trying it. But she was going to do it, because Ichigo was the most important person to her and if there was even a _chance_ that this helped, she was going to put it all on the line and do it.

* * *

Rukia awakens to hear loud thumps and some cursing, and she knows immediately who it is.

"Renji?" she calls out to the darkness and he responds with a curse. "What are you doing here _now_?"

"Rukia!" he shouts loudly but he stumbles on her name and, when she looks at him, he's wavering on his feet.

"Are… are you _drunk_?" she whispers in horror.

"I have to tell you something!"

"Shhh!" she puts a finger to her lips. The last thing either of them needed was her brother waking up. "Keep quiet or else nii-sama is going to Senbonzakura your arse!"

"Right!" he finally quietens down to a stage whisper. "I have to tell you something!"

"You already said that. What is it?"

"I'm sorry about Ichigo."

Whatever she had been expecting him to say, this was not it. "What?"

"Ichigo. I'm sorry that he lost his powers and you can't see each other and you can't be together." His words run together as he's still slurring but she can understand him. After all, this was _Renji_, if there was anybody she knew in the world, it was him.

"What," she says slowly, "are you talking about?"

"I know you were in love with him." he explains and she gapes at him. "I know, and I'm sorry that you're so hurt."

"I…" she cannot form her words, the shock is too great. "Wait, you thought… me… and _Ichigo_… what?"

"You're in love with him."

"I'm not." she says flatly.

"You are, you don't have to lie to spare my feelings." he waves at her dismissively. "I'm a man, I'm gonna be a captain soon, I can handle it."

"Why on earth would I think I needed to spare your feelings?"

"Because I'm in love with you." he says simply and again she is gobsmacked.

_He… he just came out and said it!_

"Renji, I think we should talk in the morning. I think you're saying things that you are going to regret so please, stop now. Go home and sleep and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait, Rukia!" his voice has increased to its previous volume but she has slid her door shut and has stopped listening. "Rukia!" he shouts.

"Renji." comes a calm voice from behind him. "What are you doing here at this hour?"

_Shit._

"Nothing, Captain Kuchiki!" he manages to salute before running away like a dog with its tail between its legs.

"Hm." Byakuya smiles knowingly.

* * *

"Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo stops but does not turn around when he hears her voice.

"Kurosaki-kun." she repeats and he cannot ignore her any longer.

"Yes, Inoue?" he says softly.

"I was wondering if maybe we could talk for a bit. Maybe you could walk me home or something?" He finally looks at her and she looks so serious and nervous that Ichigo nods shortly before resuming his walk home.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asks when they are alone, before shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I… I was avoiding talking to you about what happened, because I thought that it would upset you, but I realised today that maybe what you really needed was someone to talk to, you know, to get everything off your chest." She pauses before saying, "I was selfish, I was only thinking of myself and what would be easier for me without thinking about what was best for _you_ and—"

"That's enough, Inoue." he interrupts and her heart stops. She can feel the tears stinging in her eyes and urges herself not to cry, not while he is standing there.

"Look, Inoue, I appreciate this, I do." He runs his fingers through his hair and Orihime watches the action in fascination, "The thing is… I'm not really the kind of guy who _talks_ about what he's feeling…"

"Maybe that's the problem, Kurosaki-kun, maybe you should start talking about things!" she suggests, trying to be cheerful but he doesn't smile. "Just… try? Please? For me?"

_Oh, that's the line, isn't it?_

"Fine." he sighs and walks towards the stairs, the same set of stairs they had sat at when Orihime had convinced him to go after Rukia. "What do you want to know?"

"Only what you want to tell me." she says gently, sitting down next to him. She waits for him to start talking and, strangely, the silence is not awkward, even though it is long.

"I just…" he finally starts before breathing heavily. "I feel weak, you know? I mean, I don't miss… seeing ghosts or anything, I just miss feeling like I can protect everyone."

"Is that your job, Kurosaki-kun?" she looks at him thoughtfully. "We all have power, too, why is it only your job to protect us? Maybe… maybe now it's time for us to protect you. And by that, I don't just mean in fights and from bad guys, I mean from everything. Life. Because it's not easy to live, and now you can, you can do whatever you want without feeling like you have to run off to hunt a Hollow or something."

She can tell he is turning the words over in his head so she keeps talking. "And I know it's hard without Kuchiki-san, but one day you'll move on and find someone else. You know, one day when you feel like seeing other people…" her voice trails off, she is suddenly reminded of her conversation with Renji.

"_I hope we're not just 'other people'." she had whispered. "I hope we're not just second best."_

Was that how Renji was feeling right now, in Soul Society with Rukia? Like 'second best'? She could certainly sympathise sitting here now with Ichigo.

"Okay, I'll agree with the stuff you said first, but what's this about Rukia?" his voice cuts into her thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You said that I'd move on from Rukia?"

"Right, one day. I mean, no one expects this to be easy for you, of course."

"Uhh, right, of course. I miss her, sure, but she's disappeared from my life before, although I guess this is different from back then. But, y'know, you make it sound like I'm in love with her or something." He is greeted with silence and he puts the pieces together. "You think I'm in love… with _Rukia_?"

And for the first time in days, he laughs.

* * *

Renji wakes up with a killer hangover, he seriously feels like death. He hears the sound of someone opening his sliding door, step inside and close it.

"Do you have to do that so _loudly_?" he moans and hears a chuckle.

"How much did you drink last night, Renji?"

His head shoots up off his pillow, causing his head to pound and he groans in pain. Rukia is still laughing.

"Did I see you last night?" he whispers, learning quickly that the softer he speaks, the less it hurts. "I don't remember that."

"I wouldn't be surprised if there was a lot of last night you don't remember." She bends down and hands him a drink. "Here, nii-sama said he saw you last night and that this drink should help."

"Shit, I saw the Captain last night, too? Did I do anything else stupid?" he asks what he hopes is a rhetorical question before taking a sip of the drink which he thinks tastes like horse piss (not that he'd ever drunk it, but it's how he imagined it would taste). Unfortunately for him, Rukia has an answer ready.

"You told me that you loved me."

He spits out the drink. "What?" he gasps.

"You also said that I was in love with Ichigo, which is, frankly, the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life."

"Wait. Wait. Please." He slowly sits up, cradling his head in his hands. Why did he feel so crap during what would probably be the most important moment in his life? "Can you start at the beginning, please?"

"You came over last night, drunk as a skunk, I might add, and said you had something important to tell me. You rambled all this stuff about how I was in love with Ichigo, and then you said that you loved me. I told you to shut up before you said something you'd regret—"

"You couldn't have stopped me five minutes before?" he asks weakly.

"Well, you've said it now. Let's talk about it." She sits down next to him and waits for him to speak.

"I'm sorry," he says finally, "I didn't mean to bring up the subject, especially Ichigo. I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"Hurt me?" she responds quizzically. "Oh, you don't remember my reaction, do you? Look, I'm not in love with Ichigo. Sure, I'm upset about what happened with Ichigo, and of course I'm going to miss him because I love him as a friend, but I'm not _in _love with him, the mere idea is ridiculous."

He stares at her, head still throbbing painfully. "Oh."

"Look, Renji," she begins when Renji has nothing else to add, "you're really important to me, okay? And… the way you feel about me," she sees him flinch, "I feel that way, too." He looks her in the eyes, shock written into his features and she smiles sadly. "But the timing, it's all wrong. With everything that's happened, and I'm just having a bit of trouble dealing at the moment." she sighs. "But I really need you by my side right now, Renji."

"What makes you think I'm going anywhere?" he smirks and Rukia smiles.

"If anyone's going to stick with me, Renji, I know it's going to be you." She gently puts her hand on his and squeezes and his breath catches in his throat. "I'm glad that you'll always be with me."

He turns his hand over and squeezes back.

"Always."

* * *

"Why are you laughing?" she asks, sounding a little hurt. "Not that I'm not glad to hear you laughing, just that I'm not sure _why_."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" but he is still laughing. "It's just… the idea of me and _Rukia_…"

"Why is that so funny?"

"What makes you think I'm in love with her?"

She stares at him blankly. "Don't you love her?"

He stops and thinks before replying, "Sure, I guess I love her, as a friend though. I'm not _in_ love with her, that's totally different. She's… she's like my sister or my best friend or something, I don't know. She spends half her time yelling at me, and the other half hitting me, I don't think we'd have a very functional romantic relationship."

"Oh."

Orihime had to admit that Tatsuki had been right after all.

"Where'd you even get that idea?" he asks curiously.

"I don't know, just the way you act when you're together…?"

"You mean how she yells at me?"

"Ummm…"

"Or do you mean when she hits me?"

"No, ummm…"

"'Cause that's how I act with Tatsuki as well, and you know I'm not interested in her like that, right?"

"Right, yes, of course." she agrees quickly. Tatsuki had said the same thing. Obviously her woman's intuition was more finely tuned than hers. She'd have to work on that.

"So, was that what you had wanted to talk about? Rukia?"

"No, I wanted to talk to you about whatever you wanted to get off your chest."

"Well, thanks, Inoue, talking to you helped. And just so you know, you are the least selfish person I know." He stands and dusts off his pants before giving her his hand to help her up. She hesitates before taking it and is pleased to find it is warm, comfortable, just like him, just like how she always thought he would be.

"You're welcome, Kurosaki-kun. You're very important to me and I want you to be happy."

His smile is warm and the lines around his eyes have softened considerably. "Thanks. You're important to me, too." He runs his fingers through his hair with his free hand and takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry I won't be able to protect you like I used to. I think that's one of the things that's upsetting me the most. I made a promise to protect you and I won't be able to keep it." He looks down at his feet until she squeezes his hand reassuringly.

"I don't want you to feel that way, Kurosaki-kun. After all that you've done for me, I think it's time for me to return the favour."

"Hopefully you won't need to, I hope it's all over now." he smiles and she smiles back.

"So, how about I walk you home?"

He squeezes her hand gently and she laughs wholeheartedly.

They hold hands all the way back.

_but when your laughter enters_

_it rises to the sky seeking me_

_and it opens for me all_

_the doors of life_


End file.
